RAAF Growler aircraft landing at Canberra Airport on 15 June. Photo: Matt Badger, Badger Photography.
Matt Badger was among a group of plane spotters having the best time of any Canberran over the weekend.
He’s normally out by the Canberra Airport fence – camera in hand – at least every second weekend, after using websites like FlightRadar24 and ADSB to track “interesting aircraft” and he certainly wasn’t going to miss this one.
Two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) EA-18G Growler aircraft came in for landing at Canberra Airport yesterday afternoon (Sunday) after a low-level flypast over Canberra.
“While the weather was unfortunately not the best, hearing the rumble of fast jets in Canberra is always a positive,” he says.
“My Nikon made easy work of the rain and poor light as they arrived.”
Plane spotters were treated to the sight and sound as part of a RAAF commemorative event.
The two aircraft flew in from RAAF Base Amberley, QLD. They flew over the RAAF Memorial Grove on the Federal Highway, located along the exit ramp to the Majura Parkway, in honour of those who have served and died defending Australia by air.
They then landed at the Canberra Airport shortly after 2:30 pm, and are scheduled to take off and return to their base this afternoon (16 June).
Is there a cooler job? Photo: Matt Badger, Badger Photography.
The last time the RAAF conducted this flyover was in November 2023, when four Air Force Pilatus PC-21 aircraft from 4 Squadron visited Canberra for the unveiling of a plaque at the memorial commemorating the squadron’s centenary.
As for the last time fighters visited, Matt remembers capturing a pair of Super Hornets at the airport about a year ago.
“The Growlers are similar, as they are based on the same airframe, but with some changes internally and externally to suit the electronic warfare task.
“I wish we had more regular visits by the RAAF’s fighter fleet.”
The Growler is what the RAAF describes as an “electronic attack aircraft”, capable of “disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems, including radars and communications”.
The aircraft measures 18.3 metres long, with a wingspan of 13.7 metres, and weighs 15 tonnes when empty. Powering it to a top speed of 1960 km/h (Mach 1.6) are two “turbofans” capable of producing 44,000 lbs of thrust.
As for other weapons, Growlers can fire anti-radiation missiles, air-to-air missiles, and “Sidewinder” short-range air-to-air missiles.
There are 12 in the RAAF fleet, all based in Amberley, and used in “a wide range of Defence tasks and help to reduce risk and improve situational awareness”, according to the RAAF.
They usually work in tandem with the F/A-18F Super Hornet and the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft on missions.
Chopping up the rain with “turbofans”. Photo: Matt Badger, Badger Photography.
As for the memorial grove at the centre of their flyover, perhaps its most eye-catching part is the aeroplane propeller mounted on a blue-coloured concrete block.
The pathway leading up to the grove is surrounded by several plaques commemorating different RAAF units, and in the centre is a sandstone plinth topped with a metal cross. The plaque on this plinth commemorates “The men of the Australian Flying Corps and the men and women of the Royal Australian Air Force”.
“It honours those among them that made the ultimate sacrifice for their country,” it reads.
The memorial grove was formally dedicated on 20 July 1980, while the two granite blocks by its entrance were taken from the RAAF memorial on Anzac Parade during redesign works on Anzac Parade in 2002.
